2025 Executive Committee
President
Linda Mathew, DSW, MSW, LCSW-R
(Term: 1/1/2025 – 12/31/2025)
Linda Mathew, DSW, MSW, LCSW-R, is a Social Work Manager at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She has been in the field of healthcare for 20+ years and is certified in cognitive behavioral therapy, meaning-centered psychotherapy, palliative and end-of-life care. Dr. Mathew earned her MSW and DSW from New York University’s Silver School of Social Work (NYUSSW). In her time at MSK, she co-created REACH for Caregivers and co-led the Talking with Children About Cancer Programs. Dr. Mathew is an antiracist practitioner and an active member of MSK Social Work Department’s Antiracism Committee. Dr. Mathew has received many leadership awards, including the prestigious Mid-Career Exemplary Leadership Award and Excellence in Clinical Practice Award from the Social Work Hospice and Palliative Care Network and the National Association of Social Workers. She is a master trainer for ESPEC: Educating Social Workers in Palliative and End-of-life Care. She serves on several editorial boards as well. Dr. Mathew has presented locally and nationally; and she is a published author. Dr. Mathew believes in giving back to the field of social work through her role as an adjunct faculty member of NYUSSW and Smith College. In her spare time, she has a private practice.
President-Elect
Meredith Cammarata, LSCW-R
(Term: 1/1/2025 – 12/31/2025)
Meredith Cammarata, LCSW is currently a Social Work Manager in the Department of Social Work at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in New York. She has worked in oncology hospital settings for 18 years and has training in cognitive behavior therapy, as well as palliative and end-of-life care. At MSK, she is a member of the Social Work Department’s Anti-Racism Committee and the Talking with Children about Cancer Program. She also serves as an ambassador for MSK’s Patient and Family Advisory Council for Quality (PFACQ).
Meredith’s current clinical interests and research focus on parenting with cancer, creating interventions for families at the end of life, and racism in the healthcare system. She has authored journal articles and books on best practices for supporting people impacted by cancer.
Meredith has been part of AOSW in many different capacities, including presenter, EXCEL participant, Education Committee member, Conference Committee Chair and most recently Director at Large for the state representatives. Additionally, in 2016 she received AOSW’s Oncology Social Worker of the Year Award. Meredith has great interest in promoting and expanding AOSW both internally and externally, as she believes it provides an excellent forum for cultivating leadership, research, clinical practice, and comradery for oncology social workers. Meredith is a graduate of Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service where she received a Master of Social Work degree with a specialization in children and families.
Past President
Michael L. Grignon, LMSW, CCM, MBA
(Term: 1/1/2025 – 12/31/2025)
Michael Grignon, LMSW, CCM, MBA, received his master’s of social work (MSW) degree from the University at Albany (New York) in 2004 and his master of business administration (MBA) degree from the University at Albany in 2009. He is a New York State Licensed master’s of social work (LMSW) and a certified case manager (CCM).
Michael’s experiences include inpatient hospice, sub-acute rehabilitation/long-term care, and as the Director of Patient Access and Education for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Upstate New York/Vermont Chapter. He has presented on cancer survivorship, the role of public policy/advocacy within the social work profession, and on the health outcomes of patient navigation. Michael has co-authored studies on the impact of COVID-19 on oncology social work practice and on core competencies of the oncology social work profession.
Michael is currently a social work case manager with a health benefits company where he provides case management, patient education and patient navigation to clients across the medical spectrum.
Secretary Treasurer
Leah Walton, LCSW
(Term: 1/1/2025 – 12/31/2027)
Leah Walton, LCSW, is the Program and Impact Officer at Gilda’s Club Kentuckiana, a nonprofit affiliate of the Cancer Support Community. She has worked in the field of oncology social work for almost 10 years, first in direct clinical practice and now in administration. In her current position, she provides leadership to the program team of six individuals spread across four physical locations (two in Louisville, and two in Southern Indiana), serves on the Executive Team, and manages the annual program budget of over $300,000.
Leah joined AOSW as a student member, when completing her MSSW at the University of Louisville with a specialization in psychosocial oncology. Since then, she has served as the Kentucky state representative since 2017 and has also served on the membership committee since 2019
Diversity Equity & Inclusion Director
Kendolyn Shankle, LSCW-S
(Term: 1/1/2025 – 12/31/2027)
Kendolyn Shankle is a dedicated leader and Licensed Clinical Social Worker with extensive experience in healthcare social work. As a Supervisor of the Department of Social Work at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, she leads a dynamic team of social work counselors, ensuring high-quality, patient-centered care. With over a decade of experience, Shankle has excelled in coordinating interdisciplinary care and implementing therapeutic interventions. Her leadership is further demonstrated through her impactful podium presentations on navigating workplace microaggressions and addressing barriers to care for BIPOC populations during COVID-19.
A graduate of the University of Houston (MSW, Health Disparities) and Wright State University (BA in Social Work), Shankle combines her academic foundation with her passion for advancing social work practices, fostering inclusion, and improving outcomes for underserved communities. She focuses on developing programs molded for diverse communities and concentrating on unique needs of cancer patients and oncology care providers.
Directors
Advocacy Director
Karen Costello, MSS, LSW, OSW-C
(Term: 1/1/2025 – 12/31/2027)
Communications Director
Brittany Hahn, LCSW
(Term: 1/1/2025 – 12/31/2027)
Education Director
Kelly Hendershot, LGSW, LMSW
(Term: 1/1/2024 -12/31/2025)
Kelly Hendershot, LGSW, LMSW, works across the Cancer Support Community (CSC) to ensure that everyone’s interactions with our network partners go smoothly. This includes helping drive innovation and increasing the reach of the network. She joined the CSC headquarters team in August 2020. As the lead liaison for patient and family programming across CSC’s growing network, Kelly ensures that programming is effectively implemented and meets quality standards. In addition to her role at CSC, she is Immediate Past Chair of the Comprehensive Cancer Control National Partners (CCCNP) and serves on the membership and educations committees for the Association of Oncology Social Workers (AOSW). Kelly is also a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).
Membership Director
Jill Randall, PhD, MSW, LICSW
(Term: 1/1/2024 – 12/31/2026)
Jill Randall, PhD, MSW, LICSW, a social worker and researcher. She has worked in healthcare for 15 years, with experience in various settings including inpatient, outpatient, community-based, and a national non-profit patient advocacy organization. The overarching aim of Jill’s career is to elevate the role of oncology social workers and expand psychosocial care for patients and their families. Connections with other oncology social workers have sustained her throughout her career, and AOSW has been vitally important for facilitating these connections. As Membership Director, Jill desires to see AOSW grow and continue to be a place where social workers find enduring connections that nourish them and help them grow professionally.
Research Director
Amy Corvelyn, MSW, LICSW
(Term: 1/1/2024 – 12/31/2026)
Amy Corveleyn, MSW, LICSW, is a clinical oncology social worker. She has worked with cancer survivors and their families for more than 18 years. She is currently a Clinical Social Work Manager for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Amy was the Associate Director of the Collaborative Care and Community Engagement Program at the MGH Cancer Center. She served as the social work case manager and co-investigator for the Bridge Trial. This is the first randomized clinical trial that studied how to improve cancer outcomes for patients with cancer and serious mental illness. Amy is also a member and founder of the Engage Initiative, a collaborative that seeks to ensure that mental health is never a barrier to cancer care. Amy is an active member in the Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW). She serves as the chair of the Research Special Interest Group. In 2024, she began her tenure as the Research Director on the AOSW Board.
Director-at-Large – State Representatives
Amy DePaolo, MS, LCSW, OSW-C
(Term: 1/1/2024 – 12/31/2026)
Amy DePaolo, MS, LCSW, OSW-C, is currently Lead Oncology Social Worker-Nuvance East and works in outpatient oncology at Danbury Hospital/Nuvance Health. Amy has worked in oncology for over 18 years. Prior to her position at Danbury Hospital, she was the Director of Program & Delivery at Gilda’s Club Westchester. Amy specializes in outpatient oncology support services for adults and has extensive experience in developing and evaluating psychosocial support programming for individuals and families impacted by cancer. She serves on several committees including Breast Leadership, the Community Cancer Collaborative, and is Psychosocial Coordinator for the Nuvance Health Cancer Institute. She has been a member of AOSW since 2011 and served as CT State representative. Amy currently serves on the AOSW Membership Committee and is also President of the Board for the Connecticut Social Work Oncology Group. Amy received her MS in Social Work from Columbia University
Director-at-Large – Special Interest Groups
Chelsea Kroll, MSW, LMSW, OSW-C
(Term: 1/1/2023 -12/31/2025)